Restraint for inhibiting motion of a person in a bed or chair or the like



May 4, 1965 E. J. STOREY 3,181,530

RESTRAINT FOR INHIBITING MOTION OF A PERSON IN A BED 0R CHAIR QR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvron.

06m? J. STOREY BY l I A T TORIVEY y 4, 1965 E. J. STOREY 3,181,530

RESTRAINT FOR INHIBITING MOTION OF A PERSON IN A BED 0R CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EDGAR J- STOREY ATTORNEY y 1965 E. J. STOREY 3,181,530

RESTRAINT FOR INHIBITING MOTION OF A PERSON IN A BED OR CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. EDGAR J- STOREY ATTORNEY y 1965 E. J. STOREY 3,181,530

RES'I'RAINT FOR INHIBITING MOTION OF A PERSON IN A BED OR CHAIR OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 21, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOIL EDGAR J. STOREY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,181,530 RESTRAINT FGR INHIBITING MOTION OF A PERSON IN A BED 0R CHAIR OR THE LIKE Edgar J. Storey, San Francisco, Calif., assignor of onehalf to Martin G. Colman, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Dec. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,413 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-134) This invention relates to a restraint for inhibiting mo tion of a person in a bed or chair or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a restraint or motion inhibiting support for securing a patient or child in bed or chair or the like and whereby buckles, clasps, locks, buttons or the like are obviated; and particularly to provide a wrap-around, one piece flexible panel which can be draped into a jacket-like restraint when wrapped around a person and then suitably tied.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wraparound restraint formed in a panel with interengaging wing straps so arranged as to be wrapped around and embrace the body of a person preferably above the waist and when suitably tied selectively to limit the turning or other movement of the person relatively to a bed or chair or the like in a selected predetermined manner.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective plan view of the restraint laid out substantially flat.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the restraint on the body of a patient with the wing straps extended ready to be wrapped around the body.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view illustrating the restraint wrapped around and over the back of a chair.

FIG. 4 is a rear view showing the wing straps threaded through the panel slots and interlocked.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the panel wrapped around the body.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental perspective view showing the patient tied in bed by the restraint with freedom of limited movement.

FIG. 7 is a rear view showing the restraint tied over the back of a chair, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the wrap-around restraint with the wing straps interlocked and overlapped in front for tying a patient in bed without freedom of turning.

In carrying out my invention 1 make use of a panel 1, preferably made out of a flexible sheet such as cloth. The panel is generally rectangular in shape and is defined by longitudinal sides 2 and ends 3.

In about the middle of the flexible and foldable panel 1 is a suitably shaped opening or hole 4 which can be pulled over the head of a person so that the narrow shoulder strap portions 5 formed between the hole 4- and the longitudinal sides 2 of the panel 1 rest on the shoulders of the person.

Near one end of the panel 1 and adjacent to and parallel with each longitudinal side 2 is formed a suitably reinforced panel slit 6.

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From the longitudinal sides 2 at the other end of the panel I extend outwardly tapered flat wing straps 7 and 8 in the plane of the panel 1, as shown in FIG. 1. From the outer end of each wing strap 7 and 8 extend a pair of tying straps 9.

At least one of the wing straps, for instance wing strap 7, has a transversely reinforced slit 11, which when laid out, as in FIG. 1, is generally parallel with the panel slits 6.

All the edges of the panel 1 and wing straps 7 and 8 and the slits 6 and 11, are provided with reinforcing edge strips 12.

The hole 4 is shown herein as generally oval, the longer axis of which is generally parallel with sides 2. The material is gathered transversely between each side 2 and the hole 4 to form the shoulder strap portions 5.

In use the hole 4 is drawn over the head of the person as shown in FIG. 1 so that the panel 1 hangs from the shoulder strap portions 5 down respectively over the front and back of the person. Then the straps 7 and S are wrapped around the person above the waist and are drawn through the respective panel slits 6. Then the wing strap 8 is drawn through the wing slit 11 of the strap 7, thus suitably tightening the front and back portions of the panel 1 around the person. Finally the tying straps 9 are pulled to a suitable tightness and are secured to a bed or chair as the case may be to restrain movement of the person as needed for safety.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the portion of the panel having the panel slits 6 is on the back of the person, then the wing straps 7 and 8 are drawn from the front to the back and then are folded upon one another at the back of the person. After the wing strip 8 is pulled through the wing slit 11, the wing strips 7 and 8 extend oppositely from beneath the person to the respective edges of the bed and the tying straps 9 are secured to the bed frame 14. In this attitude the person can turn from one side to the other but cannot rise or otherwise shift position.

In the attitude shown in FIG. 7, the restraint panel is arranged and wrapped around as previously described in connection with FIG. 6, but the rear or slitted panel portion is hung over the back 16 of the chair, such as a wheel chair, and then the tying straps 9 are suitably secured to the frame of the chair.

If more freedom is permissible then the slitted back portion of the panel 1 is hung directly on the back of the person, instead of over the back of the chair, and only the wing straps 7 and 8 are Wrapped around the back of the chair.

If more restraint is needed then the panel 1 is so arranged that the slitted portion of the panel hangs over the front of the person, as shown in FIG. 8, and the wing straps 7 and 8 are wrapped from the back to the front and over the front, as shown and then secured to the edges of the bed frame, or the like. In this attitude the turning of the patient is prevented. By shortening one strap and lengthening the other strap the person may be restrained in an attitude lying on one side or the other instead of on his back.

The degree of restraint or freedom of movement in a desirable or selected attitude or position can be determined and accomplished by suitable arrangement and adjustment of the panel and of the wing straps. The restraint herein described is easily adjustable to variable circumstances, yet accomplishes positive securing and holding of a person in predetermined attitude. The device is simple, unitary, safe, facile in operation and is eminently adapted for the purposes as herein described.

I claim:

1. A restraint for a person comprising (a) a flexible panel (b) having'a hole for inserting the head therethrough so that said panel is folded over the shoulders and hangs over the back and front of the person (0) said panel having parallel and generally longitudinal slits therethrough near an end thereof (d) oppositely extended wing straps at the other end of said panel adapted to be drawn through said slits re spectively to tighten said folded panel substantially about the waist of the person 7 (e) and a tying strap extended from the end of each Wing strap for securing the wing straps in tightened attitude,

(1) a slit through one of said wing straps generally 7 parallelwith said slits in said panel and being adapted to hold the other wing strap inserted therethrough.

2. A restraint for a person comprising (a) a generally rectangular flexible panel (b) having a hole therethrough to accommodate the head of a person therethrough (c) a shoulder strap portion formed between said hole and each longitudinalside of said panel so that said panel folds and hangs by said shoulder strap. portions over the back and front of the person (d) said panelhaving slits at an end thereof, said slits being adjacent to and parallel with the respective longitudinal sides of said panel tying strap extended from each wing strap for securing said wing strap in selected attitudes.

4. The restraint of a person as defined in claim 2, and g) a shoulder strap portion formed by transversely gathered material betweensaid hole and each longitudinal side of said panel whereby said panel folds and hangs by said shoulder strap portions over the back and front of the person.

7 References Cited by the Examiner 1 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,923,809 8/33 Bates 128-134 2,751,594 6/56 Brissenden 128-134 2,827,898 I 3/58 Thompson 128l34 3,136,311 6/64 Lewis 128 -134 3,136,581 6/64 Caballero 297- 384 RICHARD AVGAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A RESTRAINT FOR A PERSON COMPRISING (A) A FLEXIBLE PANEL (B) HAVING A HOLE FOR INSERTING THE HEAD THERETHROUGH SO THAT SAID PANEL IS FOLDED OVER THE SHOULDERS AND HANGS OVER THE BACK AND FRONT OF THE PERSON (C) SAID PANEL HAVING A PARALLEL AND GENERALLY LONGITUDINAL SLITS THERETHROUGH NEAR AN END THEREOF (D) OPPOSITELY EXTENDED WING STRAPS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID PANEL ADAPTED TO BE DRAWN THROUGH SAID SLITS RESPECTIVELY TO TIGHTEN SAID FOLDED PANEL SUBSTANTIALLY ABOUT THE WAIST OF THE PERSON (E) AND A TYING STRAP EXTENDED FROM THE END OF EACH WING STRAP FOR SECURING THE WING STRAPS IN TIGHTENED ATTITUDE, (F) A SLIT THROUGH ONE OF SAID WING STRAPS GENERALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID SLITS IN SAID PANEL AND BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD THE OTHER WING STRAP INSERTED THERETHROUGH. 